Melon fruits are highly appreciated worldwide and are often eaten as a fresh product. Melons are members of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), a class of trailing annual vines that also includes squash, pumpkin and cucumber. They have large broad leaves, stems covered in light prickles and small yellow flowers. The fruit themselves are soft fleshed with a central cavity containing seeds, surrounded by a thick protective rind.
Taxonomically, melons are broadly divided into two groups: watermelons (species Citrullus lanatus) and muskmelons (species Cucumis melo L.). C. melo includes a wide variety of cultivars producing fruits of different shape, external appearance and flesh color, including such melons as Canary, Cantaloupe (including Western Shipper, North American and Charentais types), Casaba, Hami, Honeydew, Navajo Yellow, Piel de Sapo, Santa Claus, Sugar melon, Ambrosia, Bailan, Galia, Ogen, Persian, and Sharlyn.
Certain viruses are capable of infecting melons and causing crop damage and loss in many varieties. Examples of viral pathogens that may impact melon cultivation include Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV), and Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV).